The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 02, February 1888 eBook

During a considerable portion of the last month I
have been “riding double,” as our honored
Secretary, Dr. Beard, has been in the saddle with
me. His knowledge of the field, gained through
these frequent personal visits, is of great advantage
to the work and highly appreciated by the workers.
We jogged together over many miles of country, comparing
notes, discussing plans and expressing our mutual
surprise at the wonderful and far-reaching work which
is being accomplished, and the prophetic glories of
the future.

An account of the mountain campaign, through which
Secretary Beard went with me, will be the subject
of future notes.

* * * *
*

The following churches have been organized in our
Southern field during the past few weeks:

THE INDIANS.

WHAT AN INDIAN THINKS OF IT.

The writer of this letter is Loafer Redhorse, a son-in-law
of the Titon Chief, Swift Bear, whose band have colonized
as homesteaders along the Niobrara River near the
mouth of Keya Paha River. Their colony is one
hundred and thirty miles from Rosebud Agency, to which
they belong. Their settlement we call Burrell
Station in honor of Dea. Burrell, of Oberlin,
Ohio, who gave the money to build the school-house
and home for the teacher. Mr. Francis Frazier,
son of Pastor Ehnamani of Santee, has now been their
teacher two years.

Loafer Redhorse is anything but a loafer. He
is one of the most industrious men. He is one
who would naturally be first in war, as he says, and
now also is first in following the plow, and learning
the ways of the white man. Among other things
it is interesting to know what he thinks of prohibiting
the use of the Dakota language.

MY FRIENDS: Let me speak now. I am sad because
of one thing which I will now speak of. Since
our school-house (the Burrell station school) was
built, I, with my children, have attended with a glad
heart just as if it were my own. And now I hear
that it is likely to be closed, and I will speak about
that. And this is why I have something to say.
The scholars who go out from the Brules to go to school,
come back without knowing anything, for the reason
that they don’t teach them anything except to
work. That is the reason they don’t know
anything, I think.

And I will tell how it was with us under Indian customs
since the time I had understanding. Then the
Indian tribes were happy. Into whatever country
was good they roamed just as they pleased. At
that time, although there were many Indians on all
sides, there was a great country in between full of
buffalo. It seemed to be the buffalo’s country.
And the Indian people were made happy because of the
buffalo. The people would move their camps and
pitch their tents again and the buffalo would come
right in among their tents with a great noise.
Then it was that the people had great joy.